Hope
by lilkawa
Summary: Lady Catherine makes her sentiments about Elizabeth known... ooo


_Pride and Prejudice_ doesn't belong to me.

….

Please Read and Review.

Special thanks to Miriam1.

**Hope**

It was late in the afternoon when Mr. Darcy entered his house, feeling very tired. It had been a long ride from London. It seemed to him that he had not rested once since leaving Netherfield, a few days ago.

He had left Bingley going to propose to Jane Bennet. 'By this time, they were probably engaged,' he thought. Surely Jane would not refuse Bingley. He envied his friend; he had found someone to love, a worthy companion who loved him back.

At least he'd had a chance to see Elizabeth again, but that wasn't enough. 'Maybe I should ask her to marry me again, maybe she'll say yes to me this time. Surely she must know how much I've changed. That I am worthy of her love.'

But what if she says no, I doubt I'll ever recover.

Dear God, he prayed send me a sign, show me how she feels.

He found Georgiana sitting at her pianoforte. She looked up and run into his arms.

"Fitzwilliam, I didn't know that you were returning today," she said.

"I did tell you," he smiled at his sister.

"Yes, but I thought that maybe Elizabeth had somehow convinced you to stay." Ever since discovering her brother's feelings for Elizabeth Bennet, she could never resist teasing him. That was the one thing she had over his head.

"I did see her," Darcy said, "but the visit wasn't about me. It was about Bingley."

Georgiana didn't interrupt; she could sense that there was more to come.

"Bingley intended to ask Jane Bennet to marry him," he said.

"Really? That's good isn't it?" Georgiana asked her brother.

"Yes it is. Very good news, Bingley is a lucky man."

"Tell me; is Jane anything like her sister?"

"They are both sensible, levelheaded people, but Jane is nothing to Elizabeth," he said without thinking. He stared into the distance.

Georgiana looked at her brother and was about to tease him when Hobs, the butler walked in.

"Lady Catherine, to see you sir."

Georgiana jumped so fast, it almost comical.

"Brother, I will not see Aunt Catherine today. I'm sorry but you're on your own. I don't think I can stand anymore of her complaints and advice," she left the room.

Lady Catherine entered and the room and smiled at her nephew.

"Aunt, what an unexpected pleasure," he attempted to smile.

"I have come with news," her voice told him that the news was not good at all, in fact that she'd never heard worse news. "Your friend Charles Bingley is engaged to Jane Bennet."

Darcy smiled, "I am very happy to hear it."

"You haven't heard it all;" his aunt was getting bothered." And it has been made hinted that you yourself would soon be engaged to her sister Elizabeth Bennet."

Darcy was stunned.

"I can imagine your shock, I was furious. For those commoners to think they could aspire to such positions. Tush, pure rubbish." Lady Catherine was livid.

"Can you believe it? As if you would ever look at her, her with the wild manners and that look in her eyes, her bluntness," she was getting worked up.

Darcy didn't know what he was expected to say or do but Lady Catherine wasn't waiting for answers.

"I went directly to Longbourn to make my disapproval clear to her."

"You saw Elizabeth Bennet?" Darcy asked her.

"Aren't you listening?" she walked around the room. "I told her categorically to refuse you if ever you were mad enough to ask her."

"What? Really?"

"Yes, and do you know what that uncultured slip of a girl told me?"

Darcy couldn't imagine Elizabeth's answer to his aunt's totally preposterous request, demand. He looked at her cautiously.

"She refused me, can you imagine. She said no, that if ever you wanted to marry her, she would marry you. That nothing would stop her. As if _you_could marry someone like her. That idea is totally impossible and inconsiderate if you ask me."

Lady Catherine de Bourgh looked at Darcy as though expecting some big reaction.

Darcy couldn't move. He couldn't believe his ears. 'Elizabeth was willing to marry him. She had told his aunt as much. Maybe I'm hearing things because I wish it so.'

"So she said that if I asked her she would marry me."

Lady Catherine didn't reply to that.

"I told her that you were as good as engaged to Anne, but that didn't bother her one bit," she said.

"Aunt, how many times must I tell you, Anne and I are not engaged and never will be," Darcy told her.

"She doesn't know that but _you_ could change your mind, about Anne."

At Darcy's look she dropped that subject.

"I told her that I would take care of her fanciful rumours," she smiled, "so my dear boy, you have been warned. That girl is out to get you."

She left soon afterwards satisfied that she had done her duty.

Darcy watched her leave. Thank you, I asked for sign and I got it. Elizabeth feels something for me otherwise she would told my aunt so. Elizabeth cares for me; maybe she even loves me a little.

Georgiana walked back into the room ad found her brother smiling.

He walked over and took her into his arms and twirled around and around.

"Fitzwilliam, what is it? I am getting dizzy."

He was so happy he just smiled and laughed.

"Aunt Catherine's news must have been good for a change," she said surprised.

"No," he replied, "she went to Longbourn and saw Elizabeth Bennet."

"And that makes you happy?"

Georgiana failed to see how that news would make Fitzwilliam happy.

"She disapproved of her."

"Is that some sort of trick?" Georgiana was puzzled.

"No, dearest," he smiled at her, "she told Elizabeth to refuse me if ever I degraded myself enough to ask for her hand in marriage, but Elizabeth refused."

Georgiana hugged her brother, "but that means -"

"Yes, there is hope for me yet. Hope."

'Thank you God,' he prayed silently.

"I guess this means that you're going back to Longbourn," Georgiana said.

Darcy was already halfway out the door.

Georgiana smiled to herself. 'She was going to get a sister.

Aunt Catherine is going to be so angry.'

The end.


End file.
